Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-07-21

saiu oitSH, anu nave I'll my people
round about me-"
Nothing gave him more plea sure
than experimenting his estate; he new
all his servants, his agents and ste wards.
Young as ne was, the first study of his
life was the good of all those depending
upon him and related to him.
The Duke of Meath owned almost
half the county-Clavering the nearest
town, was almost all his. The inhabit-
ants had the greatest respect and affec-
ton for him-he was great sovereign
in their eyes.
The drive from the castle to Claver-
Ing was beautiful one. After leaving
the park gates there were NV miles OF
broad high road, shaded by great trees,
whose boughs, interlaced formed q
natural arch Of bright ripping green;
by hedges that were one blooming mass
or wild flowers, with green, grassy
banks, such as are seen only In old
England. Then came the hill known
as Castle Hill, when that was surmoun-
ted, there was glorious view of the
sea and of the town of Clavering.
When the young duchess was quite
accustomed to her new home this was
her favorite drive. Every kind of tree
grew on either side of the rcad-lab-
urnums and lilacs, with chestnut and
hawthorn; then came graceful lines,
stately oaks, silver larches.
She liked TO drive along slowly,
watching the sun shine on the green
branches; she liked to leave the carri-
age every now and then, 10 fill her
hands with the wild roses and meadow
sweet-to leave 1t and follow the deep
..;x l. h. Il .
the woods and ran for two miles down
the high road, the banks of which were
fringed with blue forget-me-nots and
flowers that love the waters edge.
The young duchess loved the brook
her tastes were simple and beautiful
her great love of Nature she inherited
from her mother.
Life was like a summer idyl for them
both; nothing could have been sweeter,
nothing fairer; they fell into a regular
routine. Tue duke would never spend
an idle day, he liked to I'LL his morning
with work, he liked to ride over his
estate, TO watch the progress of work
and improvements. 1t was in the
morning he saw his steward and agents;
while he was busted with them the
young duchess spent her time out of
doors. She liked to drive the pretty
ponies, her fathers present on her
wedding-day, said to be the finest pair
in England, and there was NO prettier
sight than the duchess driving, the sun
shining on the sett. and the low, luxur-
ious carriage.
At times she rode: when the air was
very sweet, and she had fancy for
gathering wild flowers she walked.
ell inf No
park-the duchess was especially fond
of blueb ells-shs liked TO see them
grow in great, thick clusters: she
liken to see them when the wind stirred
them; the duke told her that down
near the park gates he had seen great
sheets of them tall, and blue, and BEAU
tiful. When he rode out to Clavering
she went to the park to see the blue
bells; they grew beneath the shades of a
group of trees close to the iron gates,
and they were as her husband had said,
most beautiful to behold; the wind stir
red them and the whole lovely mass
of blue swayed to and fro. She watched
them for some time in silent admiration;
she would not gather them; let them
live out their pretty lives in the sun
light, the rain, and the dew; let the
sweet wind dance over them, the but
terfiies WOO them, the busy bees find
honey in them, but not gather them to
let them fade and die. While she was
watching them she became conscious
she hardly knew how, of face-a
woman's face looking at the bluebells,
how long she had been watching her
the duchess could not tell. Some one
evidently, who admired the bluebells.
With the natural grace and courtesy
that springs from kindly heart, the
duchess smiled. She went nearer to
the gate and saw the face plainly.
A pale beautiful face, worn and livid
with pain, a face with dark brows and
dark hair, neatly braided, a face that
startled her because it was so beautiful,
SO unutterably sad. For one moment
the duchess looked at it; the beautiful
sad eyes met her own then in her most
charming kindly fashion she said.
IF you would like some of the flow-
ers you can come in and gather them"
The woman was plainly dressed in
black. When the duchess spoke she
| drew the black shawl tightly round her;
she seemed to thank her by a gesture
| of respect, but walked quickly away.
Yet it seemed to the duchess, as she
went hurriedly way there was the
sound of passionate cry and half
strangled sob.
~ believe that woman was crying
thought the duchess. "She must be In
trouble. / wish she had not gone
| away"
The sun shone on, the birds were
singing, the wind dancing over the
bluebells, the bees and the butterflies
hard at work. The duchess walked
home, but in field near the high road
a woman knelt weeping passionate tears
weeping with passionate cries.
"Oh, little Sunbeam-little Sunbeam!
never to be mine again. Oh, Heaven,
Thou hast given me the desire of my
heart, but am the more desolatc
for it. My heart Is hungry, my soul 10
athirst." A woman who knelt with q
beautiful, pltiful face raised to the
summer skies, and who wrung her
hands with a gesture of unutterable
pain. Little Sunbeam, how many
years Is 1t love, since lost you? How
many years ago since my eyes rested on
your face, and held you in my arms?-
a stately lady now whose mother is dead.
Yet should thank Heaven, for 1 have
had the desire of my heart. / have
seen her-I have seen her, but the fever
grows, 1t burns In my eyes to see her,
in my lips that long to kiss her, in my
arm that long to clasp her. If could
see her smile on me again, i'll could
hear her speak to me, Little Sunbeam,
a stately duchess now. with q face as
/ \. lu-lxN a hAn fsxI t..<x 80